Reviews with content warning for Child death - Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins

3 reviews

juliawitmer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Such a heartbreaking read - and even more so, now that I read it as an adult. This book handles some really, seriously heavy topics (like the pain of war, the injustice of murder, and the heartbreak of losing people close to you). An amazing read that made me both laugh and tear up at different times. Highly recommend!

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shieldbearer's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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taliahsbookshelf's review

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Great book. I think one of the best parts about this book is Suzanne Collins' ability to paint pictures in a way that makes it feel truly realistic. Even though this book covers some pretty dark themes, it's fast-paced and it's very difficult to put down. Even though it's a middle-grade book, so you wouldn't expect a whole lot of in-depth worldbuilding, Suzanne Collins does fantastic in this department for this series, which becomes very apparent in this book. The ending leaves you wanting more and feeds brilliantly into the last book.

Spoilers:
Low-level spoiler:

Chapter 13 is so funny and for what? I forgot about the fireflies but they honestly make this so much better than it would have been without.

Low-level spoiler:

The interaction with Gregor and Luxa's picture at the end really made me start crying. I desperately need more of these books. Anyone have any good fanfic recs where Gregor comes back later in life?

Mid-level spoiler:

I've always loved the interaction between Gregor and Ares while in the currents. Their relationship develops significantly over time, but in my opinion, it's really in this book that we finally get to see what that actually means for the two of them. I especially love the point when Gregor takes over the action of flying for the bat, and we can see the dynamic shift. Yeah, they trust each other, but it's a bit different for them now.

Mid-level spoiler:

The interaction towards the end where Luxa puts Hazard in Temp's care is one of my favorite parts of the book. I love the maturity it shows, but also how instrumental Temp has been to the Underland the entire time. Yes, we've seen growth, but there's also been an immense amount of healing for both of them.

High-level spoiler for book 5:

Rereading these books means I pick up more on foreshadowing, but this time, I noticed Thalia's death had a lot of it for Ares'. Obviously, we've got the fact that she's a bat, but I wonder if it was also intentional of Suzanne Collins that Ares would be the one carrying her when she died, and he was the one to take her away afterwards. I wonder when Suzanne Collins knew the endgame for Ares and if that played into this interaction.

Favorite quotes:

"How ironic that the Underland, which had always been a place to dread, had become a place to escape to."(2)

"Life is short. There are only a few good things in it, really. Don't pretend that one isn't happening."(331)

"'So this is how a war starts,' thought Gregor. Not with two armies facing off, waiting for the signal to charge. Not with a wave of rats invading the avenues of Regalia. Not with a formation of bats swooping down on an unsuspecting colony of rats. It begins much more quietly. In a room, on a field, in a remote tunnel when someone who has power decides the time has come."(194)

"How exhausting it was to keep a secret, to hide a secret, to discover a secret, to know a secret existed and waited for you in the dark."(339)

"It was not an impromptu rhyme, something she had made up off the top of her head. There was a specific ritual and a grim, formal tome to the lines. Gregor was certain it was an oath. Something you swore to fulfill or died trying to. It came from such an agonized place within Luxa that Gregor wanted to wrap his arms around her. But the oath had pushed him away from her, too. Had reminded him that he was just a visitor in a strange land where people vowed vengeance and crowns mattered and queens were off-limits to him."(186)

"My heart is so crowded already. But I'm sure the others will make room for Thalia. She is not a very big bat."(317)

"Upon this crown my pledge I give. To my last breath, I hold this choice. I will your unjust deaths avenge, all here who died without a voice."(185)

"The Hokey Pokey was doing nothing for his warrior image."(68)

"Next time you are thirsty, Hazard, you might try a cup instead of a river."(156)

"Watching her rise, Gregor could no longer see Luxa the twelve-year-old girl who'd been searching for clues about her mouse friends. What he saw was the future head of Regalia, and its considerable armies, and that the rats were somehow going to pay with their blood."(186)

"There were about a zillion things his family couldn't afford... but questions topped the list."(2)

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